Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams got back in the win column following a 10-day break, defeating the Baltimore Ravens 17-3. It may not have been the most inspiring of wins, but the Rams got the job done and guarantee themselves a winning record at their bye week. A defensive stop at the end of the first half and the offense scoring twice in two minutes was the difference. Let’s jump into this week’s 10 takeaways.
This is something that goes back to last year for the Rams. Last season, they ranked 30th in first quarter points per game. They currently rank 24th in the NFL at 3.3 first quarter points per game. If you remove the Eagles game in which the Rams scored 10, they are averaging 2.0 which is only slightly better than the Tennessee Titans. For the first 25 minutes of the game, the Rams didn’t look like a team that had been sitting on an overtime loss to a division rival.
It’s a testament to head coach Sean McVay’s ability to adjust. However, the beginning of the game is meant to be scripted and when teams are at their best. This isn’t to say that McVay and the Rams coaching staff doesn’t do a good job preparing the players. Still, this is something that has plagued the Rams for two seasons. They’ve gone completely scoreless in the first quarter in three of their six games. Playing from behind early in games forces the Rams to consistently need to dig themselves out of holes. Against good teams, that can be costly.
When it comes to the field goal operation, it’s easy to point to the kicker. However, it’s important to remember that it is an entire operation. This is a situation in which multiple things can be true. Joshua Karty does need to be better. He needs to be able to make a 26-yard field goal. At the same time, it was tough conditions in Baltimore and it was his first actual missed field goal this season. Every other attempt that Karty has missed has been blocked. It’s become a domino effect. Karty has likely lost some confidence because of the protection issues which has then led to McVay losing confidence in the field goal operation as a whole. That was seen when he opted to go for it on 4th-and-3 instead of making it a three-score game.
Given that the Rams’ special teams have struggled over multiple seasons, it’s time to look past the kicker. In this same game, the Rams allowed a long punt return. Karty is a talented kicker that is worth hanging on to. Can the same be said about Chase Blackburn as a special teams coordinator?
It’s hard to say that Davante Adams dropped a potential touchdown in the back of the end zone, but it’s a ball that a...
